How to get a golf pro's autograph

And you can't get any closer to the athletes than at a PGA Tour event.

Some other big-time athletes worry about seeing their signature on eBay for bid. Not golfers. Most have a Sharpie marker in their pockets, ready to sign for fans.

Here are some tips and insight on how to get an autograph.

Where to get them

Practice green: It was hard to find an inch that wasn't filled by a PGA Tour name on Julia Decea's light blue Barclays hat. Decea, 10, of Bedford, and her friends Alexa DiTursi, 10, of Harrison and Will Gladstone, 9, of Harrison, had a prime spot just outside the ropes along a path that connects the locker room to the practice green. Aaron Baddeley started to sign Decea's hat and caught his signature already on there.

Small parking lot in front of Westchester Country Club hotel: Zaka Yousseff ran as fast as she could to get Rocco Mediate's attention. Yousseff was determined to get Mediate to sign a golf ball for her daughter, Hannah.

"Don't run so much; relax," said Mediate, one of the better signers on Tour, as he inked the ball.

The Yousseffs of Staten Island had walked the course for about three hours and come up empty. In about two minutes, Hannah, 11, had five signatures, including Henrik Stenson and Paul Goydos. Goydos' autograph was on a ball that his caddie gave Hannah after the only golf ball she brought was covered.

"This is the best dream," said Zaka, who caddies for her daughter.

Where not to get them

During play — Golfers are too focused on their play to think about signing. I've never seen a request during a tournament round accepted.

Practice range spectator area — Fans are a good 10-15 yards from the golfers. Unless a fan knows one of the golfers and calls him over, it's tough.

What they sign

Golf balls — Can fit a max of five signatures on a ball

Hats — A great item to get signed. One fan had close to 40 autographs on his hat.

Magazine covers — Ernie Els inked the cover of a Golf Digest for a fan.

The best signers

Sergio Garcia — Garcia walked through the practice green and told fans he would be back in 10-15 minutes to sign after he headed to the scoring area. Garcia was a man of his word as he returned in five minutes and signed away.

Padraig Harrington — Harrington not only signs, he strikes up 10-minute conversations with fans.

Phil Mickelson — There's a reason why Lefty is a fan favorite. He'll sign for 10 minutes until most fans are satisfied.

Might have to work for signature

Vijay Singh — Depending on his mood. "Sometimes he looks for the escape routes," one fan said. But Vijay had a blue Sharpie at hand at the practice green Wednesday.

Tiger Woods — M.I.A. this week. But Tiger's autograph is the one all golf fans are after and few get.

What the golfers say

"I think it's great. People look up to us. I'll sign just about anything. I have no problem with it. I don't know what it's like in baseball or football. I don't go to those games." — Boo Weekley

"It's a good part of the game. There's got to be a fair balance. Some weeks, there are such long percussions. Most golfers who have a bad finish are not that interested in stopping for 10 minutes. You got to give them a break. If they had a bad finish, they'll make it up another time." — Adam Scott